1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a launching cup, and particularly to a shotgun launching cup.
2. Description of the Related Art
Muzzle launched projectiles have been in use for over a century. When launching a projectile from the muzzle of a firearm, such as a rifle or shotgun, a launching cup is attached to the muzzle of the firearm, the projectile is placed in the launching cup, and a blank round is used to launch the projectile. This method of launching projectiles provides advantages in terms of range and accuracy over hand-thrown counterparts and requires only a conventional firearm instead of a specialized launcher. Projectiles which can be launched by means of a launcher cup include, but are not limited to: flash grenades, concussion grenades, nets, noise generators, stun balls, tire puncturing elements, electromagnetic pulse generators, mines or bomblets, listening devices, signal emitting devices, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional launching cup, both attached to a rifle and alone. These drawings are taken from the U.S. Navy's Nonresident Training Course (NRTC) Manual for Gunner's Mate 1 & C (Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center, NAVEDTRA 14110; published 1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional launching cup consists of a cylindrical steel tube approximately 8.5 inches long and 2.75 inches in diameter at the connecting end, or adapter portion, which fits over the muzzle of the firearm. The launcher is shown in FIG. 1 attached to a M14 rifle, with a projectile in front of the bell or cup portion of the launcher in which the projectile is inserted.
The launching cup in FIGS. 1 and 2 uses a wire loop, a latch, and a safety retaining pin to attach itself to the firearm, which, in this particular case, is an M14 rifle. When this particular launching cup is used, the adapter portion fits over the flash suppressor of the M14 rifle, and the wire loop fits over the rifle's bayonet lug, as shown in FIG. 1. In order to lock the launching cup onto the rifle, the safety retaining pin (attached by a lanyard to the cup so it will not be lost) fits through the latch.
Although this type of attachment system is acceptable in most cases, problems may occur in situations of real danger or combat. For example, if the launching cup is being used to fire tear gas grenades at an approaching crowd, and then the crowd charges, there may be a need to fire live rounds from the rifle without removing the launching bell. However, most launching cup attachment systems are not reliable when live rounds are being fired. The vibrations caused by the firing of live rounds can shake the launching cup off the end of the firearm's muzzle, thus putting the user at risk.
Because of this, there is a need for a launching cup attachment system which is capable of remaining firmly locked into position while the firearm is being used to fire live rounds.